David Garrick (1717-1779), as Don John in 'The Chancers' by John Fletcher, Adapted by George Villiers

Philip James de Loutherbourg's portrait of David Garrick as Don John in Fletcher's 'The Chances' (1774) captures Britain's greatest actor in one of his celebrated character roles. Garrick transformed English theater through naturalizing acting technique; portraits of him in role were a major commercial genre, bringing theater into the domestic sphere of the educated public. Loutherbourg, primarily known as a scene designer and landscape painter, here produces a vivid theatrical portrait that conveys the energy and presence Garrick was famous for projecting from the stage.

The portrait is painted on a small panel with the attention to detail appropriate for its intimate format. Garrick's expressive face — the key to his reputation — is rendered with careful observation of theatrical emotion. The costume is handled with precision, and the theatrical character of the image is conveyed through pose and expression rather than setting.